The Hound and the Falcon: Trilogy
by Judith Tarr
The Hound and the Falcon (Collections and Selections — Omnibus 1-3)
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Alfred of St. Ruan's Abbey is a monk and a scholar, a religious man whose vocation is beyond question. But Alfred is also, without a doubt, one of the fair folk, for though he is more than seventy years old by the Abbey's records, he seems to be only a youth. But Alfred is drawn from the haven of his monastery into his dangerous currents of politics when an ambassador from the kingdom of Rhiyana to Richard Coeur de Leon is wounded and Alfred himself is sent to complete the mission. There he show more encounters the Hounds of God, who believe that the fair folk have no souls, and must be purged from the Church and from the world. show lessTags
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Member Reviews
It's a monk, it's an elf, it's a Mary Sue!
I wasn't too many chapters in before I realized that Judith Tarr's The Isle of Glass was going to be a frustrating read. Her central character, Alfred, is a monk of elvish blood who lives in an alternate medieval universe. He's beautiful, smart, forever-young and has natural skill in nearly everything he turns his hand to. Every man (and the occasional woman) who lays eyes on Alfred is driven instantly to either jealous rage or deepest ardor. Too bad our hero is committed to his chastity; if he weren't, the author makes clear, only heterosexual couplings would tempt him.
Note that the writing itself is tolerable. Tarr tends to sparse language that merely sketches characters' surroundings - the show more reader dwells in Alfred's head not in Richard the Lionhearted's Anglia. It's writing that suffices rather than inspires. And that is not enough. Especially when one must endure the holier-than-thou protagonist pitying his admirers' for their sinful homosexual desires even as he exploits them. (I wonder if this reflects Tarr's inability to follow through on her own kinks, or some sort of obeisance to her interpretation of Catholic mores.)
It's been a while since I read Katherine Kurtz' Deryni Chronicles. I don't believe Kurtz ever danced so close (yet still so far) to slash, but I do recall spending many an hour pairing Morgan and his cousin Duncan in my head. If you can enjoy fantasy with a heavy dose of Catholic mysticism, then I recommend you read Kurtz and give Tarr a pass. show less
I wasn't too many chapters in before I realized that Judith Tarr's The Isle of Glass was going to be a frustrating read. Her central character, Alfred, is a monk of elvish blood who lives in an alternate medieval universe. He's beautiful, smart, forever-young and has natural skill in nearly everything he turns his hand to. Every man (and the occasional woman) who lays eyes on Alfred is driven instantly to either jealous rage or deepest ardor. Too bad our hero is committed to his chastity; if he weren't, the author makes clear, only heterosexual couplings would tempt him.
Note that the writing itself is tolerable. Tarr tends to sparse language that merely sketches characters' surroundings - the show more reader dwells in Alfred's head not in Richard the Lionhearted's Anglia. It's writing that suffices rather than inspires. And that is not enough. Especially when one must endure the holier-than-thou protagonist pitying his admirers' for their sinful homosexual desires even as he exploits them. (I wonder if this reflects Tarr's inability to follow through on her own kinks, or some sort of obeisance to her interpretation of Catholic mores.)
It's been a while since I read Katherine Kurtz' Deryni Chronicles. I don't believe Kurtz ever danced so close (yet still so far) to slash, but I do recall spending many an hour pairing Morgan and his cousin Duncan in my head. If you can enjoy fantasy with a heavy dose of Catholic mysticism, then I recommend you read Kurtz and give Tarr a pass. show less
It’s rare that you read a series where the main character is a saint. Filled to the brim with doubting. With faith. With dialectic thought.
Yeah, yeah, adventure, battles, witch hunts and loss.
What I love about the series is the characterization. Alf, the main character, is a foundling, an Elvin magical thing that doubts the existence of his own soul. Struggles with his faith, and thus his faith is a thing worth having.
Really, the best of all Tarr’s books. The series wanders from Richard the Lion hearts Anglia, to Byzantium’s fourth crusade washed shores to ruined Rome.
A great read for a sink into never were.
Yeah, yeah, adventure, battles, witch hunts and loss.
What I love about the series is the characterization. Alf, the main character, is a foundling, an Elvin magical thing that doubts the existence of his own soul. Struggles with his faith, and thus his faith is a thing worth having.
Really, the best of all Tarr’s books. The series wanders from Richard the Lion hearts Anglia, to Byzantium’s fourth crusade washed shores to ruined Rome.
A great read for a sink into never were.
At the time I read this, I was definitely not impressed. The early 80's were full of good quality fantasy, and this wasn't a good example. The characters are flat and the plot isn't very interesting.
Three great books in one large edition. Follows Alfred, a monk of St. Ruan's that is pulled out into the world against his will.
A foundling, he has lived at St. Ruan's all his life. And as all his friends and peers age and become men, he stays a youth. As such, he is kept a secret of the abbey, protected from the Church and the rest of the world.
A beautifully written set of historical novels featuring kings and intrigues and knights and ladies and monks. It just happens to surround an idea of elves and magic.
A foundling, he has lived at St. Ruan's all his life. And as all his friends and peers age and become men, he stays a youth. As such, he is kept a secret of the abbey, protected from the Church and the rest of the world.
A beautifully written set of historical novels featuring kings and intrigues and knights and ladies and monks. It just happens to surround an idea of elves and magic.
The Hound and the Falcon takes place in an alternate reality in which the kingdom of Rhiyana, somewhere in Europe alongside traditional countries, is inhabited by the faerie folk. The first part of this tome, The Isle of Glass, I read as a separate work (review here). The latter two books bring Alf, our protagonist, first to Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade, and then back to Rhiyana and Italy as his heritage is threatened.
This book was my nemesis for some time as it took me ages to finish. I was interested in the world Ms. Tarr created, but the story was quite dry and could not hold my attention for long.
This book was my nemesis for some time as it took me ages to finish. I was interested in the world Ms. Tarr created, but the story was quite dry and could not hold my attention for long.
A Fantasy where Elves interact with us in a late 12th Century setting. But they're relatively Twee Elves, and there's no real feel of the 12th century, either. very like a 1950's "costume" movie.
I loved these books. Especially the first volume. I'm sorry that Tarr didn't write additional books with the main character.
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Author Information
88+ Works 7,970 Members
Judith Tarr was born in Augusta, Maine on January 30, 1955. She received a B.A. in Latin and English from Mount Holyoke College, an M.A. in Classics from Cambridge University, and an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Medieval studies from Yale University. She is the author of more than twenty novels including The Golden Horn, The Hound and the Falcon, Avaryan show more Rising, Alamut, The Daggar and the Cross, The Lord of Two Lands, Pillar of Fire, The Throne of Isis, White Mare's Daughter, Queen of Swords, Arrows of the Sun, and Spear of Heaven. She also wrote a juvenile book entitled His Majesty's Elephant. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Hound and the Falcon: Trilogy
- Original publication date
- 1993
- People/Characters
- Alf [The Hound and the Falcon] (Alfred); Jehan de Sevigny; Nikephoros; Anna; Althea Damaskena; Richard I, King of England
- Important places
- England, UK; Constantinople; Rhiyana
- Important events
- Fourth Crusade (1202 | 1204)
- Epigraph
- The Isle of Glass
Quis est homo?
Mancipium mortis, transiens viator, loci hospes
--Alcuin of York
What is a man?
The slave of death, the guest of an inn, a wayfarer passing.
--Helen Wadell
The Golden Horn
O City, City, jewel of all cities, famed in tales throughout the world, leader of faith, guide of orthodoxy, protector of learning, abode of all good! Thou hast drunk to the dregs the cup of the ange... (show all)r of the Lord, and has been visited with fire fiercer than that which in ancient days descended upon the Five Cities ...
--Nicetas Choniates
The Golden Horn
...and therefore I have sailed the seas and come
To the holy city of Byzantium
--W. B. Yeats
The Hounds of God
He knows distinction in three abstractions of sound,
the women's cry under the thong of Lupercal,
the Pope's voice singing the Glory on Lateran,
the howl of a wolf in the Coast of Brocelia... (show all)nde.
--Charles Williams,
Taliessin Through Logres - Dedication
- The Isle of Glass
For Meredith
The Golden Horn
For my parents
The Hounds of God
For Willie and Bonnie
For Brett
And for Jonika - First words
- The Isle of Glass
Brother Alf!
The Golden Horn
Rain and sun and thirty years' neglect had faded the tiles of the courtyard and softened the curves of the marble dolphin in the center.
The Hounds of God
The fire had gone out some time since. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The Isle of Glass
She ran before him, and he followed her, striding to Jerusalem.
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The Golden Horn
He swept her up and kissed her soundly, and bore her away.
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)The Hounds of God
He rode toward it; and as he rode, though he still wept, he began to sing.
Classifications
- Genres
- Fiction and Literature, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, General Fiction
- DDC/MDS
- 813.54 — Literature & rhetoric American literature in English American fiction in English 1900-1999 1945-1999
- LCC
- PS3570 .A655 — Language and Literature American literature American literature Individual authors 1961-
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 453
- Popularity
- 67,193
- Reviews
- 8
- Rating
- (4.07)
- Languages
- English
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 2
- ASINs
- 12
